Filing appliance.



E. T. SILVIUS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED 0508,1913.

' Patented Apr. 1,1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

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[N VEN TOR:

E. T. SILVIUS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATiON HLED 0Ec.8, i913.

iPatented Apr. 1, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHET 2.

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WITNESSES.-

E. T. SILVIUS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED mama, 1913.

Patnted Apr. 7 1, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Iran STATES PATENT onnrcn.

ELLIS '1. SILVIUS, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE. ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE MGCASKEY REGISTER COMPANY, (INCORPORATED IN 1914,) OF ALLIANCE,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FILING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Application filed December 8, 1913. Serial No. 805,219.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIs T. SILvIUs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Insystematic order, especially a cabinet comprising a casing in which filing leaves or frames for directly holding the papers are movably or adjustably mounted so as to permit an attendant to conveniently gain access to the different leaves or frames, the invention having reference more particularly to the casing and means for connecting the leaves or frames with the casing, and also to means for operating and controlling the leaves or frames so as to adjustably move them as may be desired in practical use.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved filing appliance or cabinet that shall be so constructed as to be adapted to be used in a credit account system and be capableof holding bill. slips or duplicates thereof representing the accounts of a large number of credit customers. Another object of the invention is to provide a filing appliance of the above mentioned character that shall be so' constructed that the number of filing leaves or frames may be increased as may be desired, so as to enable the merchant to take care of increasing numbers of customers without entailing the expense of adding an entirely new filing cabinet to his equipment. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved filing appliance which shall be adapted to permit of the removal of any one or more of the filing leaves or frames when filled with papers and the insertion of other leaves or frames, if desired.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in a filing cabinet comprising a casing provided with novel actuating and controlling mechanism, and a plurality of filing leaves or frames hingedly connected together and movably mounted in a novel manner in the casing and detachably connected with the operating and controlling mechanism, the invention consisting further in the novel parts, and in the combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved filing appliance partially broken away to expose internal features of the invention; Fig. 2, a fragmentary sectional elevation on the line A A. in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective view of portions of the operating and controlling mechanism; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of the guide rollers preferably employed in the construction of the cabinet; Fig. 5, a perspective view of one of the traveling heads for connecting the leaves or frames with the operating and controlling mechanism; Fig. 6, a section on the plane of the line B B in Fig. 2; Fig. 7 a vertical section approximately on the line C C in Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a fragmentary sectional elevation approximately on the line D D in Fig. 1; Fig. 9, a fragmentary sectional elevation on the plane of the line E E in Fig. 7 Fig. 10, a top plan of the filing appliance partially broken away to expose internal parts; Fig. 11, a fragmentary vertical section approximately on the plane of the line F F in Fig. 10; Fig. 12, a fragmentary side elevation of a number of connected filing leaves or frames; Fig. 13, a fragmentary perspective view of one of the leaves or frames, and Fig. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of two of the leaves or frames connected together.

In the different figures of the drawings, similar reference characters indicate corre sponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

. In practically carrying out the objects of the invention a suitable casing is provided 4:, and-a door 7 is hinged to the forward portion of the bottom 1 and extending up to the front part 6, so that access may be had to the interior of the casing and to the mechanism therein. A platform or floor 8 preferably is provided and is suitably supported fixedly between the side parts 3 and 4 adjacent to the back 2 and extends forward so as to constitute the rearward portion of the frame 5, for supporting and guiding the filing leaves or frames in upright position at a suitable height above the bottom of the casing. The platform has two longitudinally extending guideways 9 and 10 in the top thereof, or the guideways may be supported as may be desired, each guideway preferably having undercut side walls 11 and 12. The platform being preferably composed of wood it is preferably provided with two metallic guide-bars 13 and 14 on its top for slidingly supporting the leaves or frames, the guideways 9 and 10 being adapted to receive the hinging connections of the leaves or frames, and also to receive and guide two traveling heads 15 and 16 which are slidingly supported on the bottoms of the two guideways 9 and 10 respectively, each head preferably having lateral guide-ribs 17 and 18 on opposite sides thereof corresponding to and fitted against the undercut walls 11 and 12 so as to retain the heads in the guideways. The forward portions of the heads preferably have upward extending arms or extensions 19 and 20 thereon respectively. The outer sides of the heads are provided with hooks 21 and 22 respectively, each hook being connected to the head by means of a pivot 23 whereby to detachably connect the rearmost one of the leaves or frames to the heads. The two heads are provided with two suitable lug bars 24 and 25 removably secured thereto by means of screws 26 and 26, respectively, the two lug bars being provided respectively with downwardly extending fingers 27 and 28 adapted to be inserted between the links of sprocket chains. Preferably the forward portion of the platform is provided with two guide plates 29 and 30 that extend over the outer portion of the guideways 9 and 10 respectively. Two guide wheels 31 and 32 are suit ably mounted on the inner sides of the side parts 3 and 4, respectively, above the plane of the platform 8 and forward of the forward end thereof, two similar guide wheels 33 and 34 being mounted adjacent to the back 2 and above the platform.

A. suitable number of filing leaves or frames are provided as may be desired, either a sufficient number to cover the platform or a less number, and additional leaves or frames 1n ay be supplied the merchant if desired. As illustrative of the invention a front leaf or frame 35, a rear leaf or frame 35 and a number of intermediate leaves or frames 35" are hingedly connected together and normally stand uprightly upon the platform 8, or

either all or a number of them may be supported in horizontal position. Preferably each leaf or frame excepting the front one is provided with two hinge members 36 and 36" and similar members 37 and 37 on the normal lower front portions thereof, the lower rear portion of each one excepting the rear leaf being provided with hinge members 38 and 38, the hinge members of each two adjacent leaves or frames being connected together by means of hinge pins 39 and 40. The leaves preferably are provided with lateral guide-pins 41 and 42 on opposite sides thereof and they preferably are formed as portions of the hinge pins so as to extend under the guide plates 29 and 30 respectively. The hinge members 36 and 37 are guided by the adjacent walls of the guideways 9 and 10 so as to guide the leaves or frames forward or rearward in the casing. The leaves or frames, as will be understood, are provided with suitable means such spring clamps 43, 43, for holding bill slips or other papers thereon. The two opposite sides of the rear leaf 35 are provided respectively with lug pins 44 and 45 for drawing the leaves rearward in the casing. In order to support and control the leaves or frames in horizontal or prone position two guide-bars 46 and 47 and similar guide-bars 48 and 49 preferably are provided, two of the bars extending from the bottom l-up to the forward end of the platform 8, the remaining two bars extending from the bottom 1 up to the frame 5 at the inner side of the door 7. A suitable table 50 is movably guided by the guide-bars so as to be maintained at all times in approximately horizontal position, the under side thereof preferabh being provided with guide rollers 51 and that are in con tact with guide-bars 46 and 47 respectivelv, and sin'iilar rollers 53 and 54 that are in contactwith guide-bars 48 and 49 respectively. The under side of the table preferably is provided with two bearing blocks 55 and 56 having each horizontal guideway 57 therein extending longitudinally. The leaves or frames when moved forward onto the table may be partially supported by their hinges and the remainin upright leaf or leaves, and the table is controlled so as to maintain the prone leaves or frames in horizontal position, as will further appear.

Two suitable frame members 58 and 59 are suitably supported fixedly in the casing, being preferably secured to the inner sides of the side parts 3 and 4 respectively, and they rotatably support a shaft 60 which extends through one of the side parts and has a squared end portion 61 on which a crank arm 62 is removably placed whereby to rotate the shaft. Two sprocket wheels 63 and 64 are fixedly secured to the shaft 60, and two sprocket chains 65 and 66 are connected therewith respectively, one of the chains extending about the guide wheels 31 and 33, the other extending about the wheels 32 and 34:, so that the chains extend along opposite sides of the upright leaves. The traveling heads 24 and 25 are moved against the back of the rear leaf when the latter is in normal position and the fingers 27 and 28 are connected to the chains 65 and 66 respectively whereby the heads are moved forward or rearward and enable the heads to push the leaves or frames forward. The hooks 21 and 22 are connected to the lug pins 44 and 45 respectively whereby the heads are enabled'to draw the leaves or frames rearward. The leaves may be moved to and fro by means of the crank arm 62 if desired.

In order to provide mechanism for automatically moving the leaves or frames rearward in upright position in the casing and for operating and controlling the table, a hub 67 is rotatably mounted on the shaft and has a hexagonalor a squared portion 68 adapted to receive a wrench for turning the hub, the hub having a flange 69 thereon. A suitable spring 70 is wrapped about the hub 67 and has its inner end portion 71 connected to the hub, the outer end. portion 72 of the spring being suitably anchored, being preferably secured to the under side of the platform 8. A ratchet wheel 73 is secured to the shaft 60 adjacent to the flange 69, and a pawl 74: is mounted on the flange and spring pressed into engagement with the ratchet wheel, so that the tension of the spring maybe readily adjusted to enable it to turn the shaft and drive the sprocket chains so as to draw the leaves or frames rearward in the casing. Two suitably shaped cams 75 and 7 6 are secured tothe shaft 60 and obviously are rotated on rotation of the shaft and the sprocket wheels. A shaft 77 is suitably supported parallel to the shaft 60, being preferably connected to the frame members 58 1 and 59. Two suitable levers are provided and supported between their ends on the shaft 77, the levers having long forward portions or arms 78 and 79 that extend under the table 50 into proximity to the bearing blocks 55 and 56, the levers having relatively short rearwardly extending portions or arms 80 and 81 that are provided with bearing rollers 82 and 83 respectively which are in contact with under portions of the two cams 75 and 76 respectively. forward portions or arms 78 and 79 are pro vided with bearing pins 84: and 85 respectively that extend into movable contact with the bearing blocks, being arranged in the slots 57 thereof. The cams 75 and 76 are so designed and arranged that they move the levers so as to move the table in synchronism with the movement of the leaves or frames under control of the sprocket chains. It will be understood that various modifications may be made as different sizes or filing The appliances may require, one controlling lever and cam in some cases being sufficient, and in some cases two actuating springs may be preferred or required.

In practical use the papers or bill slips are placed on the filing'leaves or frames in a suitable manner, the papers usually being held by means of clamps or clips similar to those shown, and when it is desired to gain access to one of the leaves or frames in order to place additional papers thereon or to inspect a credit account, the crank arm 62 is turned so as to operate the mechanism and move the sprocket chains which link the leaves or frames to the operating and controlling mechanism. The leaves are moved forward on the platform or floor 8 until the required leaf comes to the forward end of the platform, or if it is desired to inspect the papers 011 the rear side of the leaf it is moved farther until it drops to prone position, the preceding leaves or frames having turned over in succession to prone position onto the table 50 which descends as the leaves come upon it. The uppermost one of the prone leaves, as will be seen, is in a convenient position on the plane of the frame 5 so that papers may be readily inserted on the upper side of the leaf. The tension of the actuating spring may be variously adjusted and when sufliciently great the spring may cause the leaves to be drawn up from prone position to their normal upright position when not held down or prevented by holding the crank arm 62, the spring being wound up by means of the crank arm during the forward movement of the leaves in the casing. If desired it is evident that the automatic action of the spring may be assisted by manually turning the crank in the reverse direction, and also the leaves may be lifted by hand from prone position while the upright leaves moving rearward assist in drawing them up to normal position. The leaves or frames may readily be removed from the casing after releasing the hooks 21 and 22 from therear leaf and obviously may be again quickly connected to the traveling heads by means of the hooks. In case the tension of the actuating spring 70 requires readjusting a wrench may be applied to the hub 67 and the hub turned while holding the shaft 60 against rotation, the pawl 74: being retracted if found necessary. In case the spring becomes weak or is fractured so as to be useless until replaced by another, it is evident that the leaves may be manually operated by means of the crank arm 62.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A filing appliance including a stationary platform having longitudinal guideways, a vertically movable table, a plurality of leaves normally arranged uprightly in a rectangular pack upon the stationary platform, and having hinge connections movable in the guideways, and means operable to cause the leaves to move from upright position upon the stationary platform over the forward edge thereof to reclined position upon the movable table and vice versa.

2. A filing appliance including a stationary platform having longitudinal guideways, a vertically movable table, a plurality of leaves normally arranged uprightly in a rectangular pack upon the stationary platform and having hinge connections movable in the guideways, and chain and sprocket mechanism operable to move the leaves from upright position upon the stationary platform over the forward edge thereof to reclined position upon the movable table and vice versa.

3. A filing appliance including a stationary platform having guideways formed therein, a vertically movable table, a plurality of leaves normally arranged uprightly in a rectangular pack-upon the stationary platform and having hinge connections movable in the guideways, a chain guided for longitudinal movement on the stationary platform and having the rearmost leaf of the pack detachably connected thereto, and means operable for actuating the chain to move the leaves from upright position upon the stationary platform over the forward edge thereof to reclined position upon the movable table and vice versa.

at. A filing appliance including an adjustably movable table, a rotatably adjustable cam, a pivotally supported lever extending under and controlling the movement of the table in both directions and also extending to and contolled in its pivotal movement by the cam, and filing leaves movable to or from the table.

5. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing leaves hingedly connected together,

means for supporting and guiding the leaves to move forward in upright position, a table adjustably supported to receive the leaves in prone position after forward movement, and means for moving the leaves forward and adjusting the table.

6. A filing appliance including a casing having a platform, a plurality of filing leaves hingedly connected together and movably supported uprightly upon the platform, a table adjustably guided in the casing forward of the platform to receive the leaves in prone position, and operating and controlling mechanism mounted in the casing and operatively connected with one of the leaves and also with the table.

7. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing leaves hingedly connected together, means for movably supporting the leaves in upright position, adjustable means for supporting the leaves in prone position, actuating means for moving the leaves from upright to prone position and vice versa, and means automatically acting, on operation of the actuating means, to adjust the adjustable means for the leaves.

8. A filing appliance including an adjustably -movable table, a rotatably adjustable "am, a pivotally supported lever controlled by the cam and controlling the movement of the table, a plurality of filing leaves hingedly connected together and movable to or from the table, means for guiding the leaves to or from the table, and means for moving the leaves acting in synchronism with the cam.

9. A filing appliance includ ng a plurality of filing leaves hingedly connected together, a table adj ustably supported and supporting the leaves in superimposed prone position, means for supporting and guiding the leaves to move rearward in upright position from the table, and means for elevating the table and also raising the leaves from prone to upright position and moving them rearward on the supporting and guiding means.

10. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing leaves hingedly connected together, means for movably guiding the leaves in upright position, an adjustably movable table for supporting the leaves in prone position, a rotatably supported shaft having a sprocket wheel and also a cam thereon, two supported guide wheels, a chain extending about the sprocket wheel and the guide wheels, means for connecting one of the leaveswith the chain, and a pivotally supported lever controlled by the cam and controlling the movement of the table.

11. In a filing appliance, the combination with a casing having a platform, and a plurality of filing leaves hingedly connected together and movable on or from the platform, of a table in the casing guided to move downward or upward to receive the leaves from the platform, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a sprocket wheel and also a cam fixedly secured on the shaft, a traveling head movably guided, means for connecting the head to the rear one of the leaves, a sprocket chain extending about the sprocket wheel, supported guid wheels for the chain, a device for connecting the head to the chain, and a pivotally supported lever controlled by the cam and supporting and controlling the movement of the table.

12, In a filing appliance, the combination of a casing, a shaft rotatably mounted in and extending through the casing, a crank connected to the shaft, a hub rotatable on the shaft, a spring secured to the hub and. connected to the casing, a ratchet Wheel secured to the shaft, a pawl mounted on the hub in contact with the ratchet wheel, a sprocket wheel secured to the shaft, a travelto the head.

13. In a filing appliance, the combination of a casing provided with an open frame and vertical guides extending downward from opposite portions of the frame, a movable table provided with rollers contacting with the guides, acam rotatably supported in the casing, a lever pivotally supported between its ends in proximity to the cam, one end of the lever having a roller in contact with the under portion of the cam, the opposite end of the lever extending under and movably supporting the table, and a plurality of filing leaves connected together and movable through the frame and onto or off of the table. I

14. In a filing appliance, the combination of a casing, a plurality of filing leaves guided in upright position in the casing, means for connecting the lower ends of the leaves together, a traveling head for moving the leaves forward, means for connecting the head to the rear on of the leaves for moving the leaves rearward, a table adjustably guided in the casing to move downward or upward and support the leaves adjustably in prone position, and operating and con'trollin means mounted in the easing and controlling the head and the table in synchronism.

15. In a filing appliance, the combination of a casing, a platform supported in the easing, a plurality of filin leaves and a traveling head movably gui ed on the platform, means for connecting the leaves together for relative pivotal movement, means for connecting the head to the rear one of the leaves for moving the leaves off from or onto the platform, actuating means for moving the head, and supporting means movably mounted in the casing and controlled by the actuating means for adjustably supporting the leaves when ofi from th platform.

16. In a filing appliance, the combination of a casing having vertical guides, a table movably guided by the guides, a shaft r0- ta-tably mounted in the casing, a cam secured to the shaft, a lever pivotally supported in the casing in contact with the cam and extending under and supporting the table, and a plurality of filing leaves connected together and movable onto or off of the table.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatur in presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS T. SILVIUS. Witnesses J. H. GARDNER, M. E. SPARROW.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 13.0." I 

